I
It is a frightening thing to be awakened in the middle of the night because
the Holy Spirit has something for you to wrestle with. It is an unsettling
thing to learn that what our knowledge, charm, and cleverness cannot do, God
can and does do. It is humbling (in the best sense of that word) to see that
God does really provide what is lacking in our own best efforts through things
and people who are, perhaps, to the normal way of seeing, not important or
not attractive.
That said, I think I have shared the major and most joyful shocks of my first
18 months among you. The only thing to add is that I have fallen in love with
you in a way that I cannot explain now without losing my composure. It is to
me a lasting regret that C. S. Lewis beat me to the punch and came up with
the title, "Surprised by Joy." The chancellor reminds me, however, that
titles cannot be copyrighted.
So please bear with me, and let me amplify what I've just told you, and then
consider our future a bit.
Let me do it first by visiting our proposed mission statement, "Live God's
love; tell what you have seen and heard."
As I do this, I am by no means trying to short-circuit our process here today
and have only respect for the minds and hearts of those who, we've heard, see
things otherwise. This Convention will do what it will. It will adopt or reject,
or amend what has been brought to us by Council; but, having lived with this
for a year, I want you to know what it has done inside of me and that I am
not its author. I do this because in large measure, it helps me explain to
you where I have been with God in the last year.
The proposed mission statement simply says, again, "Live God's love; tell
what you have seen and heard." Let me take those parts out of order.
Evangelism in the Episcopal Church is different from what most Americans hear
when they hear words like "evangelism" or "mission." Our church is one to which
people are invited to bring their minds along with their hearts and their checkbooks.
This means we are never going to be haranguing people to flee the wrath to
come, or manipulating them with fear or guilt.
Our message is more incarnational and sacramental, more of a passing on God's
invitation to be born to newness of life, the invitation to live a new life
in relationship to God and the church, and as disciples of Jesus Christ to
continue to evangelize, serve, and make disciples of those around us. The invitation
is to live in a community that is nurtured and directed by scripture, fed and
energized by the sacraments, and sent out to do the work God has given it to
do in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I put it this way because the Episcopal Church contains many people who are
universalists, people who believe that God will have a way to save everyone
in the end, but I am not here to argue about that today. In fact, let's for
a moment, assume that the universalist position is true. Is there any point
to evangelism if everybody is going to be saved? Well, even if you believe
that God will find a way to save everyone, that does not mean we do not have
to tell people the rich and exciting kind of life God offers on this side of
judgment day; it does not mean that Jesus is not calling women and men to be
disciples now, witnessing in word and deed to his servant lordship. We are
in mission when we are in the business of sharing the goods and enlisting coworkers.
In many ways, it is that simple.
To do that kind of evangelism -- to share an invitation to eternal life that
includes the present day -- that kind of evangelism requires a particular approach.
It calls for witness instead of debate; it requires the language of invitation
rather than intimidation. It also demands that the invitation come from a community
that is prepared to support those who accept God's offer.
In short, it calls each of us to speak from what we know, to speak of what
we are an authority on: that is, what God has done for us and for those with
whom we live and work, what the experience of Christianity is like. You've
heard it many times, evangelism is nothing less than one beggar telling another
where to find bread. To say that in the house of Bread, in Bethlehem, has special
poignancy and power: it reminds us of what we are here to be about today.
When you come to the Christmas gospel reading from Luke, you will have a shock
of recognition this year. The story of Jesus' birth and its announcement to
the underpaid shepherds on the night shift ends with reporting that "they made
known the saying which had been told them concerning this child" and finally
with the words: "The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
they had heard and seen." In one sense, that's the proposed mission statement
and what it asks of you: report and publicly praise God for what you have seen
and heard.
Or, in another way, in St. John's Gospel we find the text from which "Amazing
Grace" was written. The formerly blind man whom Jesus healed refuses to argue
with the religious authorities about what manner of man this is. Instead, he
confines his witness to the simple statement, "I was blind, but now I see." Tell
what you have seen and heard.
This business of not debating, but telling what you have seen and heard and
felt, is, of course, the root of the many 12-step Recovery programs like AA,
NA, and so on. These programs have their spiritual origin in what Episcopalian
Father Sam Shoemaker was able to help AA founder Bill Wilson discover sixty-plus
years ago. Their learning was that other people are helped and sustained when you tell your story,
not theirs or anyone else's; people are helped when other people share what
God has done for them in their walk to wholeness. They don't argue: they witness.
My suspicion is that among your neighbors and coworkers there are people who
need to hear what God has done for you.
To witness effectively, of course, we need to do some seeing and hearing.
Every time I see that wonderfully horrible commercial for the Hair Club for
Men, I am struck by its simple message. The president of the company says that
he is not just the CEO -- he uses the product. That's the first half of the
mission statement. "Live God's love" means nothing more -- and nothing less.
Then, let's take it is as our individual and corporate mission to receive as
much as we can from God and to follow the Risen Christ as fully as we can --
and then to be amazed at the grace that abounds.
It's that goal -- knowing God's love and doing something about it -- that
shapes the Sharing the Bread spring festival on May 9. We could have planned
an all-day seminar on the theory and practice of evangelism, and there is nothing
wrong with that. We could have planned a day of training in specific skills
and techniques for evangelism in the media -- and we will have to do that soon.
However, the Holy Spirit was palpably present as the steering committee progressively
saw that what we needed was not a mission festival, not an evangelism festival,
but an explosive celebration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its power to
give real life. We need to celebrate the bread in such a wonderful way that
we can be excited and energized about sharing it. Like the shepherds in the
Christmas gospel, we will do this while praising and glorifying God. In that
context there will be opportunities for many kinds of experience, including
experiences of learning. On the other hand, we can spend the whole day, depending
on what options you take, devoted to one experience of joy and wonder after
another.
Let me say a bit more of what the experience of working with the steering
committee has meant for my faith. John Wesley recalled his bishop as having
said to him, "The pretending to extraordinary revelations and gifts of the
Holy Ghost is a horrid thing, a very horrid thing." As someone who seeks to
recover from the rationalism and cynicism of his youthful religion and academic
ethos, I know exactly what that bishop meant: it's much easier if we can study
and keep everything the same, without disturbing anybody, especially without
disturbing us about how the church does business or shares its power. Talking
about religion is safe: but talking about what it means to fall into the hands
of the living God takes us to places where we may at first not wish to go.
As the epistle reminded us a few weeks ago, it is a "fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God." Fearful because, if we are to have anything
to do with God, we must give up predictability and the illusion of control;
wonderful and joyful because the strange and perhaps new things God takes us
to do lead us so often to say, like Jacob, "Truly, God was in this place and
I did not know it." I was blind, but now, thank God, I see. I've worked out
a bit more of my own salvation by being in this process.
What I have been building the courage here to say, is that the most important
thing that has happened in my life since we last met in this room is the awareness
in many ways -- some direct and blunt, others subtle and delicate -- of the
presence and leading of God's Spirit as we work together.
The other thing I want to say about the last twelve months is that the honeymoon
is over, and the important part of the relationship has arrived. Let me be
specific about what I mean here. By now many of the discerning among you know
what my strengths, my vulnerabilities, and my failings are. By now I have some
idea of the strengths, vulnerabilities, and failings of our diocese and our
people.
That is where good news happens. It means that now as bishop and diocese we
see each other a little more clearly: our relationship can be the kind that
pleases God -- a relationship that knows how to receive grace, tolerance, patience,
and generosity. Giving those things is easy, and rather grand. Receiving grace,
tolerance, patience, and generosity is where we grow. I remain thankful to
work in the community of Diocesan House, where we must daily practice what
we preach, and have the support -- sometimes the correction -- of prayer and
community as we keep learning about that.
II
Let me review some of the highlights of the last year. I have to say, first,
we owe a great debt to Diocesan Council, to its elected members and to diocesan
staff who work with them. They took the challenge I offered at our last Convention,
and met more than twice their normal time. In doing so, they have labored mightily,
in consultation with more than 100 others to bring what they present to you
today. They have found themselves engaged in substantive theological conversation.
It really does happen. They have done this with glad hearts, and we are in
Council's debt.
The other thing that was high on our minds was General Convention. . I'm grateful
for all the members of this diocese who gave so generously as volunteers there.
At the same time, we are saddened a bit that our outstretched arms were not
received by the Lutherans. But there was more than one moment of rejoicing.
The Children's Charter for the Church, and the Children's Center at the Convention,
were both partially Bethlehem projects and very well received. The Communications
resolution that came in good measure from Bethlehem was also adopted, and money
has been set aside at the national level to help us reach people where they
actually are to be found.
The Commission on Ministry has begun to widen its scope, and will take seriously
its canonical charge to raise up and support lay ministry. They are also looking
at ways to deploy local priests for congregations that otherwise would have
no clergy.
It has been a great joy to receive two priests, and to ordain four deacons
and two priests since this convention last met. At the same time the ranks
of our clergy have been depleted by the retirement of many seasoned clergy,
and most recently we were saddened by the death of Father Gene Patton -- but
even then, the care Gene and Nancy received from you, and the wonderful attendance
at Gene's service, were deeply inspiring.
The Congregational Development Committee spent last year helping congregations
get the data on the populations in their communities now and in the next decade.
As we begin the second year of that program, there will be occasion for each
parish to take the VISTA data and begin to identify its logical opportunities
for witness.
It's a great joy to say that in the last year there have been spectacular
advances in youth ministry, and I look for increased participation of young
people at all levels of the diocese, including this one.
But the main thing I want to say is that as I go from place to place, the
dedication, spirit, and effort our people put out are deeply moving, and I
thank God for the gift of a call to serve this diocese.
Of the columns I have written for Diocesan Life and newspapers in Allentown
and Wilkes-Barre, perhaps the one talking about a "ministry of encouragement" got
the best response. (Interestingly, the columns about sex and golf got the next
best responses, but not in that order.) I have tried to be faithful to the
vision of encouragement in the care of the clergy and in events recognizing
parish educators and musicians. And it's soon time for another wardens and
vestries event. I say so that you know that I know that we are very much in
this together, and that I am grateful for the way so many people in the diocese
give themselves to the service of the church and the world.
III
Let me offer some clarifications and hopes about our future together. First,
I need your help, as lay and ordained leaders in your parishes, and that is
in regard to how people understand the visit of the bishop. Like the strong
majority of Anglican bishops worldwide, when I visit, I request that unless
your church physically cannot hold them all, I would like there to be one service
for the bishop and all the people. This is not to denigrate those used to attending
worship early in the morning, nor is it a statement about my sleep habits.
I ask that there be one service (perhaps at a time other than any of the usual
service times) so that the entire congregation can be together with me, but
even more important so that every man, woman and child in that parish are there
at the moment when we promise to "do all in your power to uphold" those being
baptized, confirmed, or received. Nobody should get off that hook. Please present
this to your parish as an opportunity and a responsibility, not a burden. The
parish will take its attitude from what its leaders say and how you say it.
As we continue our exploration of what evangelism means for our life together,
it is vital that we do not fall into the trap of thinking that because we are
recapturing our duty to evangelize, we can relax our efforts to be servants
in the area of social ministry. Remember that to evangelize means to make disciples,
to make followers of Jesus, and we must continue to keep our focus on that
in our Jubilee and related ministries. That's why I have designated our offerings
today for Project Reach because it 's a fine example of direct, hands-on, ministry
to those in need.
In the area of youth ministry, there is something we must consider as we look
toward our future. Every single diocese that has a first-class youth program
also has a camp. I will not second-guess the decision in the past to sell the
camp because I don't know what the needs of that time were, but it's clear
to me that we must have our sight set on having a facility that can provide
a variety of programs throughout the summer, and that can give adults a place
for those programs as well. At this point there are no resources even on the
horizon for such an endeavor, but I do ask those of you who may know people
who might dispose of some land to speak to them of our need. If you think it
would be more helpful for me or Father Badgely to join in that, please let
me know. We need to find a place for our young people to build lasting relationships
with each other in the context of the church.
I have one last section to share with you, and I hope you find it as exciting
as I do, because it's last but not least.
The Trustees of this diocese are much, much, more than a business committee.
They have repeatedly shown themselves to be people dedicated to the mission
and life of this diocese. Some of you saw that as they visited your parishes;
others may have gotten their recent letter.
I want to tell you today that when I approached them for permission to use
unrealized gains in a fund that is at my discretion to underscore and undergird
the mission efforts of our present congregations, and to start new congregations
during the next five years, they were not only receptive to the plan and gave
permission - but they were enthusiastic in their support of using money for
ministry to people.
Let me tell you what I plan to do, from 1998 through 2002. Those dates make
you feel kind of giddy, don't they?
1. Existing parishes who commit their own resources to growth and evangelism
can apply for at least matching funds, perhaps even more. I've already entered
into agreement like that with St. Barnabas in Kutztown.
2. I want to help congregations who are willing to get more fully involved
in evangelism through print and other media -- broadcast, the net, the web,
whatever. That may be as simple as funding some newspaper ads, or as complex
as designing evangelism through websites. But I want to hear about that.
3. We need to nourish our faith and common life, so these funds will also
enable us to mount events like the Sharing the Bread festival and other opportunities
grow in grace and commitment.
4. Most important, in the long run, I hope to be able to assist the Congregational
Development Community by financing the planting four churches in the next five
years. There are at least that many areas of our diocese than need an Episcopal
presence in short order.
IV
Concluding observations
This is not an easy time for the Episcopal Church, and helping it to find
and hold its center and direction will take time and energy from a number of
us. I am willing to exert the energy and spend the time, because I know what
our Church has been and can be in faithfulness to the upward call of God in
Jesus Christ.
But I need to say more than that. It is Advent: Advent is a time that assures
us that the future is in God's hands, and that in Christ all of history will
have its fulfillment. The history of our diocese and its parishes will have
their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Advent's hope is one of joy and courage.
Quiet joy and non-stressed courage. I say this to you because in a time when
things are very tense in our national church, Advent joy and courage enable
us to keep focused on the work we are given to do here, our discipleship and
our mission, while doing what we have to do about issues that disturb the church.
For the sake of the gospel and its mission, I will break charity with no one,
and I ask you please to adopt that rule. I am profoundly grateful to say that
those who might be considered on the far left or on the far right in this diocese,
have set us an example of how to disagree without ceasing to love. I cannot
tell you how grateful I am for that.
I began by speaking about God's presence, and the joy I have found in being
taken places my professional soul never dreamed of going -- let alone driving.
I want to where I began. The shepherds had it right: make known and praise
and glorify God for all that we have seen and heard. As the joy and hope of
Advent builds each day, I feel the praise, I feel the witness growing among
us, and cannot wait to see it burst in light.
Thank you for permitting me to serve you.
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